The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on University Student Enrollment Decisions and Higher Education Resource Allocation

The uncertainty created by the COVID-19 pandemic has anguished both college students and university administrators around the world. Leading up to the 2020-2021 academic year, college students were not certain of when their universities would reopen or of how they would pay for school, given the financial unpredictability. Many students opted to defer their enrollment or re-evaluate their first-choice institution. Universities also faced financial pressure as student enrollment dropped while institutions incurred new costs, investing in student and employee safety measures as well as in IT solutions for distance education: online program management platforms and other tools related to students’ online learning experience and data collection

Урожайность и качество продукции картофеля при промышленной (голландской) технологии возделывания в условиях юго-востока Московской области

The aim of the research was the adaptation of industrial (Dutch) cultivation technology of potato depending on applied fertilizers and quality characteristics, studying of its impact on productivity and product quality under the conditions of light-gray forest soils of the nonchernozem zone of Russia by the example of the Moscow region. The given results are based on the detailed accounting of the natural research conditions of the area, usage of modern developments in potato cultivation technology, a large volume of the experimental material obtained in a three-factor small plot field experiments using the proven methodologies and advanced mathematical and statistical methods of analysis. The highest potato yield of sort Arizona (average 42.10 t/ha) was obtained in the variant of industrial (Dutch) technology and additional introduction of potassium sulfate in the period of planting in a dose of 60 kg/ha active substance which is significantly higher than the yields obtained under the traditional potato cultivation technology of the same grade in the control variant (27.15 t/ ha). In the marked variant of the industrial technology there was received the best structural composition of the harvest: the highest share was held by large fractions of size >70 mm, 70...50 mm, their weight in total was 76.6%, the number of tubers - 50.7% and unproductive tubers -8%. Under the industrial technology at the plants of Arizona sort there were formed in average one bush of 21.3 tubers of weight 1286 g. In the similar variant of sort Roko there were 19.7 tubers of weight 1192 g per one bush. In the optimal variant there was also the biggest content of nutrients in potato tubers: of solids - by 8.8%, protein (crude protein) by 15.8%, starch by 6.4% and vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) - by 11% compared to the traditional technology. When microscopying there were revealed larger starch grains. Ecological safety of potato tubers was set up on the concentrations of heavy metals and nitrates the quantity of which was less than in the industrial technology and significantly below MPC. In this variant there were marked the best degustation evaluations of potato tubers.Целью исследований явилась адаптация промышленной (голландской) технологии возделывания картофеля в зависимости от вносимых удобрений, его сортовых особенностей, изучение влияния данной технологии на урожайность и качество продукции в условиях светло-серых лесных почв Нечерноземной зоны России на примере Московской области. Приведённые результаты основаны на детальном учете природных условий района исследований, использовании современных разработок в технологии возделывания картофеля,большомобъемеэкспериментальногоматериала,собранноговтрехфакторном мелкоделяночном полевом опыте с применением апробированных методик и современных математических и статистических методов анализа. Наибольшая урожайность картофеля сорта Аризона (в среднем 42,10 т/га) получена в варианте его выращивания по промышленной (голландской) технологии и дополнительном к фону внесении сульфата калия в период посадки в дозе 60 кг/га д.в, что существенно выше полученных урожаев при традиционной технологии возделывания картофеля этого же сорта в контрольном варианте (27,15 т/га). В отмеченном варианте промышленной технологии получен наилучший структурный состав урожая: наибольшую долю занимали крупные фракции размером >70 мм и 70.50 мм, их масса в сумме составляла 76,6%, число клубней составило 50,7%, а число непродуктивных клубней - 8%. При промышленной технологии у растений сорта Аризона сформировано в среднем на один куст 21,3 клубня массой 1286 г. Аналогичный вариант сорта Рокко дал 19,7 клубня массой 1192 г на один куст. В оптимальном варианте также отмечалось большее содержание в клубнях картофеля питательных веществ: сухого вещества - на 8,8%, белка (сырого протеина) - на 15,8%, крахмала - на 6,4% и витамина С (аскорбиновой кислоты) - на 11% больше по сравнению с традиционной технологией. При микроскопировании были выявлены более крупные крахмальные зерна. Экологическая безопасность клубней картофеля устанавливалась по концентрации тяжелых металлов и нитратов, количество которых было меньше в вариантах с промышленной технологией и было значительно ниже ПДК. На данном варианте были отмечены наилучшие дегустационные оценки клубней картофеля

Technological and Economic Factors Determining ICT Level : Evidence from Rural Micro-Businesses in Democratic Republic of Congo

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is the 11th largest country in the world although wars have devastated the economics of the country. In this vast but poor area, there are a lot of small businesses, particularly in agriculture. Therefore, focusing on small enterprises and their use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) can be a key issue in enhancing the nation's infrastructure, communications, social relations and economy. This research aims at increasing our understanding of these issues together by analysing the effects of ICT in micro‐level businesses in a developing country. The research focused on the rural neighbourhood of Ngandanjike in the area of Mbujimayi in south DRC. Two hundred agricultural micro‐entrepreneurs were randomly surveyed by a Non‐Profit Organisation (NPO) about their current situation regarding their ICT use, ICT access, mobile phone use, ICT education level and accounting information systems. Multivariate statistics models were used in the data analysis. After analysing the regression of the six ICT factors and additional financial data as total revenues and total assets, we found that micro‐entrepreneurial total assets are connected with management accounting with ICT, ICT education level and ICT adoption. We contribute to existing research by adding empirical evidence, at a microeconomic level of agricultural micro‐enterprises, on the effects of ICT access and use as an engine of local economic growth. Additionally, this research can impact policy decisions regarding micro‐entrepreneurs, seeking to reduce poverty by understanding what ICT factors are most valued and most needed by these micro‐entrepreneurs to help them with sustainable economic activity and to alleviate the poverty. Policy makers need to emphasise training and motivation for micro‐entrepreneurs in order to deepen their ICT knowledge and to help their business.peerReviewe

Diversification in the Age of the 4th Industrial Revolution : The Role of Artificial Intelligence, Green Bonds and Cryptocurrencies

In the context of the 4th industrial revolution, artificial intelligence (AI) and environmental challenges, this study investigates the role of AI, robotics stocks and green bonds in portfolio diversification. Using daily data from 2017 to 2020, we employ tail dependence as copulas and the Generalized Forecast Error Variance Decomposition to examine the volatility connectedness. Our results suggest that, first, portfolios consisting of these assets exhibit heavy-tail dependence which implies that in the times of economic turbulence, there will be a high probability of large joint losses. Second, volatility transmission is higher in the short term, implying that short-term shocks can cause higher volatility in the assets, but in the long run, volatility transmission decreases. Third, Bitcoin and gold are vital assets for hedging, though the Bitcoin is also affected by its past volatility, a feature it shares with green bonds and NASDAQ AI. During economic downturns, gold may act as a safe haven, as its shock transmission to NASDAQ AI is just around 1.41%. Lastly, the total volatility transmission of all financial assets is considerably high, suggesting that the portfolio has an inherent self-transmitting risk which requires careful diversification. The NASDAQ AI and general equity indexes are not good hedging instruments for each other